Detachable tag



L. E. WILLIAMS DETACHABLE TAG July 7, 1936.

Filed Aug. 2o, 1954 El: vu 2 awt-OL Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED A STATES PATENTr OFFICE DETACHABLE TAG rLewis E. Williams, Long Beach, Calif. Application August 20, 1934, Serial No. 740,612 2 Claims. (C1. l0- 23) This invention relates `to tags or tickets for attachment to fabrics, particularly tags for use on garments, cloth and the like, to show price, size, the grade of material, or any other desired information.

A broad object of the invention is to provide a tag that can be quickly attached or removed while at the lsame time resisting accidental re.-v

moval.

Another object is tov provide a detachable' tag having pointed metal fastening elements so arranged that it isdiiicult, if not impossible, for an operator to lprick himself whileattaching 'or r removing a tag or while handling a garment to vwhich the tag is secured.

To the best of my knowledge, it has been the practice heretofore 'to secure tags to clothing either by sewing the 4corners 'of' fthe Vtag to the fabric with thread and needle or by using a U- shaped wire clip which is Iai'fta'lfred to 'the tag during manufacture, the points of the clip being forced through the fabric to which thel tag is to be attached and bent backon the other side of the fabric. Sewing is' objectionable because it is slow and expensive and also because the thread often breaks, or the'end pulls out, thereby permitting the tag to become detached. The tags having wire clips thereon that have been employed heretofore are subject to the criticism that the ksharp points are not protected and operators frequently prick their fingers in attaching or removing' the tags or yhandling the garments to which the tag is `to be attached.-

In accordance with the lpresent invention I- avoid the foregoing difficulties of-A the tags heretofore used by imbedding a spring wire in the tag (preferably by forming the tag from two layers of paper or cardboard glued together withV the wire positioned between the two layers) and extending one or both ends ofthe wire out lof the tag and pointing the endsof the wire and so curving them that they are directed toward one face of the tag', whereby they are adapted to grip or clamp al fabric against the tag. With this arrangement the point or' pointsv of the wire are protected and at the same time a means for securely locking the tag to the fabric provided.

The invention .may be employed ai number of different types of tags, various modifications being resorted to for different purposes. A full understanding of these various modifications may be had from the following detaileddescrip'-A tion which refers to the drawing. Y Y I In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a tag in accordance with the invention which is adapted to slip over the edge of a piece of fabric;

Fig. 2 is a detail cross section of the tag shown 54 in Fig. 1, showing more clearly the mode of at# tachment of the tag to a fabric;

Fig. -3 is a perspective View of the wire ele-k ment employed in the tag shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another form of 10" tag iii-accordance with the invention which is adapted to be secured to the edge of a fabric surface;

Fig.- 5 is a perspective View of the wire velement employed in the tag shown in Fig. 4; Y

Fig. "6 is a sectional view through a portion vof a tag of the general type shown in Fig. 4 but differing therefrom in detail;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the wire element employed in the tagA shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View showing still another modieation `of the general type of tag illustrated in Fig'. 4;' Y Y Fig. 9 is a perspective View of Vthe wire element of the tag shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of a tag in ac' cordance with the invention which is adapted to be secured to a fabric surface at any point thereon; and

Fig. 11 is a detail View showing a modified form of construction for use in connection with the type of tag shown in'Fig.` l0.

Referring vrst to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, Ir have Y shown a folded tag' which is adapted to open like 'a bo'ok to receive the edge and adjacent por-V tion of a piece of fabric to which the vtag is to be attached. The tag proper comprises two layersof thin sheet material Iv `and 2, respectively, such as cardboard, the inner layer being adapted to contactl the fabric to be tagged and the outer layer' `constituting the visible surface bearing the information to' be conveyed. Thus as vshown in Fig. l, the outer surface ofthe tag has been printed to' show the size, the lot and the number of the article to be tagged. A 45 Positioned between the inner and outer layers of cardboard I and 2, respectively, is a reinforcing element '3i of spring wire, the major portion of this element being Vfirmly imbedded between the t'Wo" layers of cardboard, as shown in Fig'. 2. One half ofthe element '3, identified by the reference numeral 4-, which isadapted to be' entirely' located'within one-half of the" tag, Yis shaped toi constitute an open frame, th ereby giving a rein-1 forcement to a substantial area of the portion ofrv VV2r i two halves ofthe tag.

the taginlwhich it is located. The otherl portion of the element 3, identified by the reference ,characterV 5, .is straight through the major p01',-

Ytion of its'length and extends midway Ythrough the other half of the tag to a point adjacent the center of the tag, where it is curved inwardly to project through the inner layer I and is pointed and hookedgas indicated at 6, to pene-` The element 3 is preferably coiled, as shown at 1, at the folded edge of the tag to provide increased resilience. The tension of the element 3 normally maintains the two halves of the bookshaped tag in close relationship to each other.'

However, by initially separating the tip of the tag, it may readily be forced over the edge of a piece of fabric,'for instance, over the cuff of Va Because of the direction in which the point,YV` 6 is curved, little resistance is encountered as -theV 1 Y Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 in which thewire, instead of coat.

tag is forced over the fabric. However, the tag is securely anchored if attempt is made to pull it K 1 oif'the fabric because the hook 6 is forced firmly I1, all of which'liein a common plane and are` into the fabric. Y a 1 .Y

Whenit is desired to removethe tag, this 'may be done -by inserting the finger between that Y portion ofthe tab containing the hook VGand Y the fabric, thereby maintaining the hook 6 clearV bedded therebetween.` As clearly shown in Fig. 5,

the wire element II is of irregular outline, com-` prising straight portions I2, I3,-IV4, I5, I6, `and contained between the 9 and I0. Y a Y c BeyondV the sectionn|1` ther'eis a straight sectwo cardboard elements tion- I8 extending through Vthe cardboard layer IIJ,v thisfportionfIS extending at `right angles to the Yplane containing the previouslyrecited s ections, and merginginto astraight section I9 extending upwardly 'parallel to the face of theftag but spaced therefrom. Thissection I9,in turn mergesintoa straight section 20'whichnextends through .an aperture 2Iv Aprovided therefor in the tagto. "the opposite side-'of the tag,lwhere it merges Vinto another straight section 272', kwhich in tirn'rr'erges intoastraight section 23 extend'- V, ingb'ack'through a second vaperture 24 in the tag.

Y pointed and isajruxtaposedto the face of the tag substantially at Ythe intersection of the sections I 4and I5 of the wire. "I'his tag is attached to a:

' permit'sthe point 26 to be moved toward the tag,`

65, thereby gripping the fabric; Obviously the tag`V The section 24 merges into a straight section; 25 Vwhich Yis substantially in line with the section I9 and `merges into a terminal section 26 ywhich is fabric by.' pressing on Vthe exposed lsection 22k of the wire,'thereby moving `the pointgof, the wire' clear of the tag to permitV insertion Vof the edge of Va fabric Vbetween the point and the tag.V lThere-K upon, release ofthe pressure on the section 2,2

maybe readily removednby merely repeating the operation described for shifting the `point Y of ;the wire away from the tag, andwithdrawing the fabric. ,Y Y 5 A simplified form Sof the tag just described is illustrated in Figs. 6 kand. 7. In'thisinstance it willbe observed that the wire element com- Y vprises straight` sections 21, 28, 29, and 3D, positioned in a common Vplane and adapted kto be mbdded between the ivo layers Pf. the tag.

2,046,354 c Y .M c Y S 'I'he wire beyondV the straightV section 3l)V is ex'-V Vtended substantially at right angles thereto as c inherent resilience of the wire'.V Y served that :the tip` 371 constitutes a clip which Vwhich extendk substantially parallel -to'` the se'c a straight section 3|, outv through the edge of y the tag, at'which point it is coiled asshown at 32, then Vcurved as shown at 33 where it merges 5 into a straight portion 34 extending substantially at right angles to the plane Vof the tag'and passing through a hole35 provided therefor in the tag. 'I'he Ystraight section 34 merges `intoaVv straight section` 36 substantially Y parallel to the tag,` which merges Vinto the tip 31, which is pointed and'no'rmally heldV against the tag by the It willbe Vobmay beopened for theinsertion of the edge of a fabric to Awhich the V-tag is to' be attached by pressing the curved portion 33 of the wire toward the tag. v

being extended through a hole Vin the tag,'is

Vbrought back over the top 'of the tag, Thus the wire comprises straight sections 40, 4I, 42,

1 43, 44, and 45, all lying in the plane of the tag 25 I and imbedded Vbetween the two layers ofthe tag. YThe end ofthe section projects through the edge vof the tag, beyond which: point the wire is coiled, as shown at 46, curved downover one side V,of the tag tdconstitute a; handle por- 3Q terminatesin the tip portion 50. This mo'di.-v Yfication is actuated to displacefthe Ypoint V50 85.5

from the tag `by depressing .the handle portion 41 toward the tag. When pressure on the hanf dle 41 is released, the `resilience ,of the Avwire Y engages the pointedV end '50' of 'the` wire firmly in a fabric positioned thereunderV against the tag. Y L Y All of the tags soY far described are adapted to be slipped over theedgeofa fabric:V In Fig,` Y 10 Vthere isV disclosed al tag `which is adapted'V to be secured to `a Vfabricf surface at any point 4 5,

thereon. '.It comprises vtwo sheets,A of ,cardboardA 5I Vand 52, respectively/gluedtogether, between which there are anchored. two similarY wireV ele'- ments 53 and 54 positioned adjacent opposite ends'of the tag. Each of, the elements 53 and v54 comprises vtwo straight-sections 5,5, and two, 'straight sections 56 lyingin 'the same 'plane and imbedded between the two layers of' the tag. The sections A56 extendY beyond'the endsl of the tag and merge intoistraight se`ctionsr51, which extend vparallelf'trthe plane Vof* the tag Y but at right angles to the sections 56; These sections 51 in turn merge into straight sections 58 tions 56 and merge into-the Vcurved `hook` Vportions v63, the sharpened Vtips of'whichf bear against the face rof the tag. VTo'secure the tag Y toA a fabric `surface,j'the vhooked tips .63 farei displaced away from .the surface of the tag by exertingpressure on the sections 51, thereby VVpermitting a smallfold of the surface ofthe Y fabric 'tc which Ache tagistcgbe attached tcgbc Y' engaged between the surface ofr the tag andthe 'tip 63. Thereafter, Vreleaseofrthesections'51`V causes thehooks'63 to VVi'lrmly clamp .the fabricr70.`

sections 56 Yand 51, as shown in the detailed View.5

.so Y

t will be observed that in all of the modifications of the invention described the pointed tips of the wires are directed toward a face of the tag so that the fabric is clamped rmly between the tip and the tag. Furthermore, this construction makes it almost impossible for an operator to contact the sharp tips of the wires with his ngers either while attaching or removing the tags or while handling garments to which the tags are secured.

Furthermore, in each type of tag described it will be observed that that portion of the wire which is imbedded between the two layers of the tag extends over a relatively large area within the tag and furnishes a very desirable reinforcement for stiiening the tag.

Although numerous embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The latter is there-V fore to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tag of sheet material folded in book fashion, in combination with means for attaching the tag to a fabric edge comprising a length of spring wire, a major portion of which is imbedded within said tag, one end portion of said wire being imbedded in one leaf of said tag and bent into a closed loop to reinforce a substantial area of said leaf, Said wire extending within 5 said one leaf to the folded edge of the tag,V and being coiled at the fold to provide increased resilience, the end portion of said wire beyond said coil being imbedded in the other leaf of the tag andthe tip extending through the inner 10 surface of the leaf into the space between the two leaves for engaging a fabric edge over which said tag may be placed.

2. A tag comprising a sheet of material folded into book shape whereby it is adapted to be 15 slipped over an edge of a fabric, having a reinforcing and anchoring means therein comprising a spring-wire element the greater part of which is imbedded in said tag, the wire extending from the folded edge of the tag into the two juxta- 2O posed leaves of the tag and a point on the wire in one of said leaves extending through the inner surface of the leaf into the space between the leaves for engaging a fabric inserted between the leaves, said spring wire element being con- 25 figured to urge said leaves together.

Y LEWIS E. WILLIAMS. 

